The NFL took swift action on Cowboys safety Roy Williams and suspended him for one game without pay today, for his horse collar penalty on Sunday.

Roy Williams committed the penalty while taking down Donvan McNabb during the Cowboy’s loss to the Eagles. It is his third horse collar penalty of the year, and this time it is going to cost him $37,000.

This couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Cowboys who will probably be without the services of Pat Watkins on Saturday against the Carolina Panthers. Watkins sustained a mild concussion and isn’t expected to play.

Wade Phillips had this to say about it…

“To me, if you tackle a guy from behind like that and you’re not falling on his legs, you’re not hurting anybody,” Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said. “So what’s wrong with it? Now, if you’re falling on his legs, like he did before, then that’s one thing. But that’s the rule and we need to abide by it. He is just going to have to learn to do it different. He passed it up a couple times in that game.”

“He’s real strong, especially with his hands. You go to your strength, so he’s going to grab somebody with his hands. And the way it is now, they tape those jerseys in the back, so you can’t grab them, you can’t hold on to them. The only thing you can grab is something behind him. And he’s coming from behind, he has to learn to lay out. But what he’s used to doing is grabbing them, because he’s so strong with his hands. He hasn’t been able to break that habit obviously.”

Williams can, and probably will appeal it which may allow him to play on Saturday, but no decision has been made yet.

Oh man I have so many feelings about this. I understand the horsecollar rule. But poor Roy has used that his entire career come on give my boy a break! And the NFL asking him to watch his hard hits.! What is left for him to do?